Hands Down
by GirlinTheCafe
Summary: One-shot, it takes place in season 1.06 ‘Life In a Glass House’. But the whole BrookeDaresPeyton-thing and the bedroom-thing didn’t happen. It’s a story about Lucas & Peyton falling in love. Based on the song ‘Hands Down’ by Dashboard Confessional.


Hands Down

_**This was my first one-shot ever … and it was written back in December for my birthday. I know I mixed up the tenses, so please forgive me for that. **__**So this is just a little happy one-shot of our favourite couple, I hope you'll enjoy it! **_

I look around at my world. This new world, where I only have taste of since a few weeks. I am standing in the front yard of my dad's house. Many people passing me by, some people I know, but the most I don't.

My body is controlled by this strange feeling, it burns and it makes me feel dizzy in a strange way. My mind is running through the uncountable thoughts that are filing it. My red blood is pumping through my veins, making decision about life, making my body work without paying attention with the control of my mind.

I am thinking about how my life changed this much. How Dan Scott, my father was pulled into my life and so my half-brother Nathan Scott. And so many other people who were aware of it but there are at least as many people who aren't aware of it.

Nathan felt himself threatened by me, because I made a way into his life and world so suddenly and unexpected, without any announcement. He acted like I wanted him dead, he thought that I wanted his life, his spot on the basketball team and his beautiful girlfriend Peyton Sawyer.

None of that business I want. I'd probably rather die then to have to lead his crappy life. Okay, it would be fine if I was a little popular. Because all those criticising eyes all because of my background caused by my brainless father are not giving me a great feeling.

But in my life, it is only my Rivercourt friends and me, and my precious Haley. She my best friend in the whole wide world, and I know it sounds incredible not boyish and not grown up. But she just is, no-one knows me better than her, and I love her in this intense way, not like a girlfriend or anything, but just as my friend, sort of as my sister. She feels like that, as the sister I never had, she'll always be there in my life in that way, or at least I hope.

If you asked me a year ago where I would be in 365 days, I definitely had said that I would be at the Rivercourt, playing basket with my friends. Or I was at my mom's café, helping her or just being there. Or I would be with Haley doing that crazy stuff we always do. But I definitely wouldn't have said I would be at my dad's house. In his front yard, at a party he organized.

If you told me a year back I would be here, I would have laughed with you. Probably would be laughing so hard that tears were rolling down my cheeks. I wouldn't believed you, I would have called you crazy, because 365 days ago, where I am standing now, everything that has happened and this feelings I am feeling at this moment would have been impossible. Maybe not impossible, but in my mind, it definitely would have been unfeasible.

But this one moment, when this basketball went through the hoop of the Rivercourt, my being changed in every single way.

I still can barely believe it but that night at the Rivercourt changed my life, my mother's life, the life of my uncle Keith. It changed the life of my father Dan and his wife Deb, it changed Nathan's life, and the life of his now ex-girlfriend Peyton and her best friend Brooke. The impact on the lives of the friends from Nathan or mine is much less, Tim and Bevin or Skills, Mouth, Jimmy and Junk know things are going to be different, but they don't have to worry too much, I guess, ..., I hope.

My world changed for worse but also for better. But now it's still too early to make a balance. The different changes are still battling each other, it's a hard and heated fight inside my head. I hope this will change my life for the better, I hope that people will find something valuable in me, that they'll stop their stupid judging, just because they don't know any better. That they will see my mother, Karen Roe, is a wonderful woman, that her life wasn't ruined by me. But that she despite me has found a place in many people lives because she was that lovely woman who made their day with those smocking cups of coffee.

But now I am looking for the best thing that was introduced to my new world. That thing that made my life worth living. And 'it' wasn't just a 'it', but 'it' wasn't a 'she', and 'she' was called Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer.

Peyton Sawyer, a gorgeous blond girl with curls and amazing green eyes. I had a crush on her since ... _always_, but she always belonged to my half-brother Nathan Scott. And she didn't know me, and if she did, well, than she didn't care about me. But Nathan doesn't deserve her, she's way too good for a jerk like him. He doesn't threat her right, the only thing she is for him, is just a girl he goes to when he needs sex. There was no love between them, they both know, but I also know Peyton needs someone in her life. The emptiness made by her father's constant absent had created this dark feeling of loneliness she can barely stand. She wants to fill that emptiness so badly, but sadly, she does that with all the wrongs things and 'friends', especially her ex-boyfriend.

Like I said, Nathan a badass, and he doesn't deserve her. But I hope, I deserve her one day. Because I believe, that if I will be able to break off those walls she builds, between all the waste I'll leave from all thing I'll have to break to get there, between all the waste I'll find a girl with the seeds of an incredible love in her hands. Love for me, only me.

Suddenly I hear a lot of noise coming from behind my back. I didn't understand what they were yelling, but the sudden noise was enough to catch the attention of My Wishful Thinking Mind.

I saw Peyton walk away, searching something in her purse. Quickly I ran to her. "Are you leaving Peyton?" She looked at me. "Yes, I am, Lucas." She took her car keys out off her purse. "Why, the party isn't started yet?" Her eyes, beautiful green eyes, had that 'Go-To-Hell-Everyone'-look. "This place sucks. There's no reason to stay here for me. Brooke is already drunk. And she tried to make things up between Nathan and me. And I really don't want to bump into Nathan anytime soon. He's an ass, really the son of an ass. It's easy to see he's a son of Dan Scott. All the Scott's are asses."

She wanted to continue her talking, but then she realized her last line. She looked to me, her eyes looked a little upset. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm stupid. I didn't mean it. You're not an ass, your uncle either. Oh gosh, I'm so stupid." Her hands were busy flying around like birds. I took her wrists and looked into her breathtaking green eyes. "It's okay, I know you didn't mean it." I laughed. "Expect that part of Nathan and Dan." She shyly smiled at me. Well, I thought. Shy looks damn good on Peyton Sawyer. She turned around and walked away from me. I couldn't let her leave like this. She was upset and what if she would do something really stupid? My mind told me to shut up. 'Damn Lucas, stupid fool, don't search for a fake reason to go after her. You're in love with her, madly in love with her, that's the most important reason for going after her.' And I knew my mind spoke the truth. There was still hesitation with me, but than I saw her walking further and further away from me. "I'm going with you." Peyton turned to me, she looked surprised and a little upset. "I'm dying to know how that story that you're reading continues. I don't want to miss a word of it." She laughed. "Come." She said and followed her, away from this awkward place.

She brought me to the place where her car was parked. "A Mercury Comet Caliente from 1963. That's pretty retro. Looks nice from this distance. Looks a less nice from a distance like this." And I jumped to the front of her car. She looked first shocked but then she laughed. "How yeah, our first meeting." She looked embarrassed. "I'm really sorry for that." "You don't have to." I said. "I know that girls that listen to hard music and drive at the same time, love to ran almost over me. I'm so hot you know! You girls are so desperate that you need to run over me for my attention. So hot am I!"

She laughed loud and she slapped me on my arm. "You wish!" She said laughing, her voice sounded amused. "You damn wish that."

Peyton stepped into her car and began to mess with the CD's that lay in there. I stepped into the car too. It looked that she didn't realize that I was sitting next to her. "Peyton?" I asked. "Yeah, what's up Lucas?" I laughed, watching how the beautiful girl next to me was searching through more than twenty CD's in the back of her car. Unconsciously giving me a great view from her sexy butt.

"Well, what do you want to listen? I've got 'On a Wire' from The Get Up Kids, 'Bleed American' from Jimmy Eat World, 'The War on Errorism' from NOFX, 'So Long, Astoria' from The Ataris and we've got 'A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar' from Dashboard Confessional and ... ." "Dashboard Confessional is fine with me." I laughed, gosh, this girl was beautiful and she had a good taste of music. "If I remember clearly, when you almost killed me with your beautiful retro car, the song 'Hands Down' from Dashboard Confessional was pumping out your stereo." She nod and bit on her lower lip. That was so fucking cute. "Okay, so embarrassing, but you're right." Her eyes sparkled, I had seen her in many ways before. Her hurt, her fears, her loneliness but never I saw her like this. Being happy, with her velvet lips forming a big smile, her green eyes sparkling and the blonde curls dancing around her face.

She started the car and we drove around for a bit. Just chasing through the streets of Tree Hill. Not knowing were we would end up, there was no destiny on their way. We had driven for a little longer than fifty minutes, the CD went off. "Well. What are we going to do now?" She asked me, looking me straight in the eye. I thought and an idea lighted up my mind. An awesome idea, if she would wanted to take it.

"I know this special place ..." "Take me there." She said unhesitating, I was happily surprised by her blind trust in me. And it wouldn't be the only time she would surprise me tonight, I could feel it by the way the green of her eyes got suddenly more intense by looking at me.

"Do you want to take my directions, or should I drive?" I asked while looking at her through the darkness in her car. She took some time to find an answer in her mind, when she hadn't answered him after a few minutes I decide to answer in her place. "Let me drive, I know my way blindly. Plus, I always wanted to ride in this car, it's freaking sexy." I said and winked, that made her smile at me. I always had said 'but the sexiest at the car is the driver', but I didn't feel secure enough, I still didn't know what went around in her head. "Come on, let's change seats."

We both opened the doors and stepped out. The air was already getting colder as the darkness became tighter. She quickly ran around the car, her high heels clicked on the concrete road. Cold was embracing her like a coat, making her slightly shiver. It was travelling over her skin leaving, goosebumps everywhere it touched.

She quickly made her way around the car, but her fingers met mine when we past each other, when that happened, it was like a shock of electricity went through our bodies. My body stirred slightly and I swear I could feel her breathing quicken right beside my ear.

We made our way back into her car and I started to drive around. Streets followed each other while she softly hummed and played with her blond curls. I gazed at her once in a while and saw her smiling a little, she looked happier than I had ever seen her. When her humming because soft singing I couldn't help but laugh a little, she was so damn cute.

The lights in the streets got fewer and her singing went into humming again. And all of a sudden I felt something tickling my cheek. My eyes flew beside me and saw how she had laid her head on my shoulder. Carefully I moved my arm around her shoulder, she faintly stirred but soon the only thing I heard was her breathing matching mine.

I barely dared to stop when I reached the place where I wanted to go with her. She seemed so peacefully enjoying this simple moment. So was I, enjoying this simple gesture of her trust in me.

My ears heard her steady breathing and her body rested weakly against mine, maybe she was fallen asleep. And the action which followed by my logical thinking was one I hadn't expected from myself. Very softly I ran my fingertips over her bare arm, and almost immediately she let out an almost inaudible moan. She opened her eyes and realized the car wasn't driving anymore. She looked up and found Lucas staring at her with an intense gaze.

"Am I that boring company?" I softly asked with a smile framing my lips. "No." She answered quickly. "I am just a little tired." She answered shyly. "Too tired to go on an adventure with me?" I asked, my boyish voice sounding suddenly naughtier than it had ever heard. "Never." She answered in full flirt mode.

I quickly opened the door of her car and ran over to her side so I could open it even before she could. She smiled when I did, and I smiled back, being a gentleman. Being the true gentleman I was, I reached my hand out so she could welcome it with her own as she did. "Come on follow me." I whispered softly and leaded her through the darkness.

"Where are we going?" She asked me after a while, the darkness enclosed us slowly when the light got fewer when the distance increased. "We're almost there." I guaranteed her and when my eyes deviated towards her beside me.

Out of the blue the grip on my hand tightened and a quite yell escaped. "Are you planning on killing me?" She almost screamed in my ear. "No." I answered laughing. "Why?" I heard her swallow. "I swear something was moving beneath my feet." She answered and her grip tightened a little more while we walked further.

"We're here." I said and the breathing of the girl beside me quickened. "This is amazing Luke." She said amazed and took in the view of an old but beautiful house in the darkness. A two stored house, lost plants embraced it, somehow like this magical flowers around castles in fairytales. Six windows created a peaceful and tight rhythm as they were centred around a broad oaken front door, a golden door knob was vaguely visible. The same tight rhythm was created by the seven windows on the first floor. If you tried hard enough you could even see curtains by some of the windows.

Softly I intended to walk further, the driveway seemed endless, the gravel rustling under our feet. Making us unexpected visitors on an abandoned piece of land, a no-one's land in the middle of a lively community of a small town.

Peyton followed my lead blindly when I guide over a path which was defeat by weed. "Lucas." She whispered, almost anxious when she felt my grip loosen on her hand. "Yeah Peyton." My voice made tracks in the air of an autumn evening. "This is scary." She told me and she flattered herself against me, making me lightly shiver in response.

Finally I reached my real destiny, my special place, my piece of paradise. In the distance I see the broken fountain were I made an oath to myself, the promise heard by me and the speaking walls of this old but magical house, that I would never tell someone or show somehow this magical dreamland, unless that person was genuinely worth it, and that would be the girl who I wanted to spent the rest of my life with, my soulmate, my true love ...

"Wait here, I'll be back in a second." I said but Peyton didn't let go of my hand. "Peyton?" My voice sounding somehow insecure. "Yeah." She brought out. He looked down at our tangled hands, she almost immediately got the unspoken message and let go of my hand. With big steps I walked towards the house to disappear through the broken double backdoor.

While my eyes got used to the thick darkness, my hands were my guides, warning me of the surroundings. Four steps to the right, my right hand pushing a door open while the rusty hinges complained under the unpredicted movements. Six steps straight ahead, two left. Automatically pushing open another door and placing my right hand against the wall when I go down seven stairs. There I hold still, my hands disappearing in a groove in the concrete wall. My hands returning overloaded with a woollen blanket and small lamp.

"Lucas, where are you?" I hear Peyton screaming. "This really isn't funny!" She yelled, her voice sounded shakily, actually there wasn't so much distance between us, but I decided to end her suffering. Quicker than I had entered the house, I made my way out.

"Lucas! Finally!" Peyton let the breath she had been holding escape when she saw him appearing through the double door. I can't control myself and smirk, the bitchy Peyton I had met just weeks ago looked now far lost in a nervous girl was shivering from the first autumn coldness. The breeze played careless with her black dress, teasing her bare skin. Fast I putted down the blanket and the lamp, striped my jacket and drape it around her shoulders. She smiled thankful, thanking me even more by her presence.

After picking up the stuff again, I gesture she should follow me as I walk away from her, throwing a look over my shoulder. And she follows every step I take because I feel her warm breath in my neck, causing me goosebumps.

Arrived at a circular terrace cover by a little roof, which was also broken. Almost everything around the house was broken, but what did you want, the house had already survived generations and now it was inhabited for more years then you could count on one hand.

I bended down and spread the blue woollen blanket out on the ground and lightened the lamp. The light it brought was vague but enough to see Peyton's beautiful face. A face that still twisted in a not understanding emotion. But her green eyes sparkled ...

Unhurried I breath in, let the air from an early night fill my lungs. Making me feel invincible. Tonight is going to a special night because I am mesmerised by this sky filled with more than millions of stars, oxygen tickles my lungs as I breath by the wish that tonight I am going to be lucky, as I breath in deep, this blessed air from Mother Earth as I feel Peyton's hand back in mine, knowing that we aren't only sharing the same air but also the same touch.

The stars shine bright, driving my wishful mind nearly wild, but the autumn air also so calm, preparing for the soon to be winter, leaving behind the long summer which had used all her strength to make herself a memorial in people's mind, almost leaving this air dull, almost exhausted and used up, ready to welcome autumn and make this air revive when the shades of the trees coloured.

I felt her heartbeat race against mine when I pulled her down with me on the blue blanket, trying to control ourselves as we fell down and ended up in each others arms, as her smooth legs travel over the softness of my trousers, and when I look into her magical eyes, this feelings of contentment surrounds us, we were doing fine when our hands found each other again, but actually we are doing nothing at all.

As I gazed up to the dark blue air, filled with more stars than there are even people on this planet, a sudden and odd feeling shot through my body. Made in my heart, helped by my brain, streaming through the blood in my many veins, and subconsciously I shiver, pull her even closer to me.

My blue eyes found hers as I faced her, but there are no stars as bright, as the ones sparkling in her green emerald eyes. The feeling that her eyes emit, is unknown for me, I guess even anonymous to herself. And I was the first to discover, discover the blissfulness of a girl who had been broken for years. Through her eyes I could see her fitting together again inside, as a puzzle everything fell back in place. Fitted as one, as something you couldn't explain, my being seemed to strangely make her feel better, be better.

An unexpected wave of hope crashed over me, building up high against me as I felt this urge to kiss her. I was aware of this endless moment of weakness. The effect that her velvet lips on mine would have was unimaginable, even it was this near. It would probably kill me because I wanted it so much, because I waited almost my whole life for it. And if her lips suddenly would be toxic, at least I would die happy, I would die with the feeling of her heavenly lips on mine.

Her amazing green eyes stare into my pacific blue ones, and I bet she sees right into my heart. That she is aware that this is the very first time I unlock my heart towards someone for real, that this is the only chance she'll get to do with my pounding heart whatever she wants. That she could fill it with her growing love for me, or she could destroy it with her tiny hands or she could bury it so it would never found a way out of the devilish earth again, leaving me heartbroken and never able again to love somebody else. But the most of all, I wish she'll take my heart and make it her most cherished jewellery, and she would wear it with proud, for everyone to see.

"Lucas." Her voice tore my away from my precious fantasies. "Peyton." My voice still drunk from my fairytale thoughts. Noises from people far away toured along with the dark clouds, making her suddenly feel uncomfortable but excited when I felt the rhythm of her heartbeat increase. I didn't care of anyone was near us, they wouldn't find me and Peyton. We could lay here forever and left undiscovered. We were safe here, safe from everything from big mad world. This was only time, one night out of thousand in a fairytale land.

Her excitement was amplified by the pure oxygen which filled her lungs. She seemed to suddenly revive. She got up and grabbed her black purse from beside the blanket, her iPod found its way out. It didn't take long before music was carefully pouring in our ears. Quietly screaming along with Dashboard Confessional's ... 'Hands Down'.

The chemistry was invincible but almost touchable. And she was so sexy when she decided to take the second verse as solo. The words 'hey did you get some' sounded sexier than I could ever imagine, she was flirting with me. I could feel her naughty thoughts running over to mine. Her hands playing with my tie. And I decided I should give her some, as I pulled her even closer to me. She let out a scream of delight by my sudden motions, but I dared her to be quiet, so nobody could hear ... that we would get some.

But we didn't kiss as our lips touched faintly. We just lay there. Her arms around my waist, my arms hold her in embrace. Our legs intertwined and our lips … they didn't kiss, they just were pressed against each other. There was no need to kiss, this was perfect. Hearing her steady breath as her chest rose and fell against mine with each breath she took. The broody rock 'n' roll love songs which filled their ears.

I couldn't help it when this magical feeling locked me up in its powerful embrace. When I stared into her green eyes, a sea of emotions seemed to pass through them. Her intense gaze was like cautious waves of delightful feelings colliding with my blissful feelings locked in my endless blue look.

The faint light that escaped from the old lamp pierced through our tight embrace, leaving a vague glow on her beautiful face. Flames and shadows dancing over her face, with hands entangled, leaving behind sparkles of bright and never-ending hope. My blue eyes break through her green ones, unlocking the closed door, swaying it open to be overwhelmed by what my being brought her. I could see the ruined puzzle of her broken personality fit together as my hands made it fit again ... I could see it, even feel it ... I was healing her ... she was taking out of my hands ... this jewellery I reach out for her to take ... this jewellery even more valuable than a diamond surrounded by gold, in the form of a wonderful ring ... my endless loving heart.

And I can't deny it, when I drown in her eyes. This is the best day I can ever remember, as our favourite song swims out of her iPod into our ears, as the soft light danced a slow and sensual over our content faces, the soothing scent of the French lavender shampoo which was drenched into her blond curls that she twirled in her slender fingers as I inhaled it.

My fingers traced over cheek and I was ready to bridge the tiny distance between Peyton's and mine lips when suddenly felt something wet collide with my jaw and travel down on my cheek. Peyton must have felt it too because she unexpected stirred against my body. We both looked up at the sky, and felt the raindrops shower our faces. Peyton began to curse when the raindrops soaked her thin dress. Swiftly I pulled my blue shirt out and draped it over her shoulders, my wet fingers swiftly buttoning the first two buttons. My jacket was used as 'umbrella' as we ran over the path back down to the house. "What time is it?" She asked while our feet moved in the same rhythm over the concrete flagstones. "Almost two o'clock." The words rolled careless and casual out my mouth. "What?" Peyton yelled at the same moment I realised actually the meaning behind the words. "God, my mom is going to kill me." Was the first thought that came up in my mind. My hand dragged her in the other direction than we came from. "What are you doing? Shouldn't we go the other ...?" She began, but I soon cut her off. "The grave is all mud now, this other path is concrete." As she followed my lead, but we soon were stopped by the little gate on our way. My hands flew to the handle, but the gate was locked. A few nasty curses flew out of my mouth but then I realised the key was on the other side. Without any announcement, I jumped up and climbed over the gate and than unlocked the gate as fast as I could. I saw Peyton grin wickedly at me, I was about to take her by the hand again and run with her further to the car when it suddenly stopped raining.

We both looked up at the sky in surprise. Her hand searched mine and then we looked at each other. Big smiles decorating our faces as we walked hand in hand of the driveway. I felt her looking back at the house, I do the same before swaying my arm around her shoulders. This was saying goodnight and goodbye to the best night ever experienced by anyone in this endless universe.

Back in her car I began to realise tomorrow I would be probably sick because I was soaked. Peyton saw me shiver like crazy and suddenly her motherly instinct came up. "God you must be cold. I am sorry Lucas." She softy said and quickly undid my shirt by herself and lay it over my shoulders so I could putted it on. And she surprised me by begin buttoning my shirt. Her fingers traced over my chest, causing me to shiver, not out from the cold I was feeling, but from this sudden sensual feeling heating my chest. She smiled wild when I groaned. And after five minutes we were driving home again.

Silence was our air to breath for a while as her head rested on my shoulder again. "Can I ask you something Lucas?" Her girlish voice unloosed the strings that hold us up upon this comfortable silence. "Yeah." I said while letting my gaze roll over her, showing less attention on the road. "Why is that house your special place?" She looked up at me, letting her green eyes meet mine again. I thought deep before I spoke again. "Because that's first place I discovered on my own, it's the only place no-one knows besides me, and now also you. Because that house gives me the feeling of the future by looking at the past. Because it influenced so many people's lives, and leaded them, and it now leads me. Because I am waiting for the walls to speak to me and tell me about the secrets they keep. Because the attic of that house knows my secrets, the one I never shared with anyone before. Because there's no place in this whole world where I rather want to be with you then there."

I bit on my lip, waiting for her reaction, a reaction which one was a bright smile and a loving look in her eyes. So less but more than enough. Much more than I would ever need.

The strings repapered themselves, pulling us back into this great silence. We reached her house way too soon. I parked her car in front of the house and leaded her to her front door. It was time to say goodbye, but I could read in her eyes that it was too soon. Goodbye is always too soon ... no matter what.

"I had a great night." She said softly, standing on her front porch and the light just beside the front door, lighten her up like an angel. The beautiful, human angel she was. "Me too." I answered, taking a little step closer to her. She surprised me by laying her arms around my waist, closing the gap between us. In automation my hands softly moved to the small over her back. "I am going to walk home." I whisper while pulling her a little closer, allowing myself to be overwhelmed again by her beauty.

She nodded weakly and closed her eyes, brought herself even closer to me. And ... pressed her pink lips on mine. Slightly straddled by her, even I had seen it coming.

My lips welcome hers lovingly, and in only seconds, our tongues meet for the very first time, shy but adoring, a feeling burst out of my heart, blossoming itself inside me, and around me.

A feeling so intense and blissful, that it made me want to bury myself inside her. This emotion that I never experience before, but tonight by her side for the first time, as I felt the imaginary butterflies fly around in my stomach ... this feeling of being finally in love for real.

It couldn't compare to anything in this world .. not anything in this whole universe was better than this ... the knowing that she was wearing this precious, unique jewellery of mine ... and that she would were if for always and forever ... and the most important of all

...

That I knew that she meant it.


End file.
